


never quite free

by necromantrix



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: (ish?), Gen, Good Ganon, Mute Link, Pre-Canon, Prequel, that 10000 years ago mess, the background relationship is zelink btw, this is the first rise of the calamity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-24 21:17:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10749996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necromantrix/pseuds/necromantrix
Summary: History is written by the victors, and legends are written by those who survive.The legend of the Calamity Ganon and its defeat 10,000 years ago is one such tale. The true events are far more nuanced and full of tragedy than any modern telling dares imply.---Zelda was the Princess of Hyrule, busy making sure the Shiekah technology scattered across the kingdom was operational and not in need of anything as the waves of attacks from monsters began to grow more and more severe. Link was her appointed knight and the Chosen Hero, wearing the Master Sword across his back. Ganondorf was their loyal companion, the only Gerudo Voe and a fearsome warrior.





	1. sometime before the real darkness rises

**Author's Note:**

> So, uh, the Hero depicted in the tapestry thing is definitely Ganondorf, right?
> 
> I saw a post on Tumblr about it and decided to run with it after thinking about it in great detail for the entire duration of a ten minute drive. This first chapter is super short, but it's mainly so I have a reason to force myself to continue this if I lose my motivation and also just to set up some things. The other chapters will be longer.
> 
> Just a few notes about the fic in general: This is during the Defeat Timeline (or whatever it's called), during the Golden Era where there's a large blank space of time right before the Era of Decline. This Link is mute. The Triforce isn't split and Zelda has the entire thing. Link and Zelda are apparently a thing in this fic (that happened while writing chapter two). There's some stuff with Ganon and why he isn't the villain but I won't explain that here.

       “Let’s imagine for one moment that things go badly. What does that mean for us?”

       “We die. Everyone dies, if the worst comes to pass,” Zelda said evenly as she leaned forward to gently pat her horse on his neck. Despite the heavy topic, she couldn’t help but grin slightly as she caught sight of Link signing of  _ Optimistic _ out of the corner of her eye. “We don’t even know what’s coming. You worry too much.”

       Ganondorf sighed, bringing his horse to a halt as they arrived at their destination. “So you’ve said at least ten times now, Princess. I happen to think I worry just the right amount.”

       She dismounted as well. “So you’ve said at least ten times now, Voe,” she countered.

       Zelda was the Princess of Hyrule, busy making sure the Shiekah technology scattered across the kingdom was operational and not in need of anything as the waves of attacks from monsters began to grow more and more severe. Link was her appointed knight and the Chosen Hero, wearing the Master Sword across his back. Ganondorf was their loyal companion, the only Gerudo Voe and a fearsome warrior.

       They were an unbreakable trio in the middle of Hyrule’s Golden Era. The kingdom was flourishing, every day seeming to bring about new innoventions. The people were safe, protected by Guardians on a local scale and the Divine Beasts on a larger one. The latter never saw much use if any, but there were four Champions always at the ready to pilot them, should anything go awry.

       And things were beginning to look like they were going to go awry.

       A darkness was growing. It wasn’t visible, but it was palpable. More and more monsters appeared as if out of nowhere. Mountains that were previously dormant revealed themselves to be volcanoes. Weather became more unpredictable. Everything was beginning to point towards some great evil or another, and they were going to be ready for it whenever it arrived.

       The three fell into a companionable silence as they walked into the Rito town, Zelda leading the way. Link fell into step beside Ganondorf—having to take a step and a half for every step the much taller man took—and gently elbowed him for his attention. “She has to be optimistic,” he explained, his hands moving with a certainty that his expression couldn’t match. “It’s her kingdom. If we fail, it’s her failing her people.”

       “I know that,” Ganondorf began, watching as the Princess began to speak with the Rito Champion, “but I feel dread deep within me. We may not know what’s coming, boy, but it’s going to be big and it’s going to be bad. I know it.” He looked back to Link to see his response.

       “Do you think we’re ready to face it?”

       Instead of answering the question directly, he said, “I hope her optimism isn’t misplaced, for all of our sakes.”


	2. the calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this is a BotW fic, because it's 10,000 years prior and therefore not the same Zelda and Link, I'm not sticking completely to those personalities. There are some similarities, but there are also some differences.
> 
> (I also changed the fic name, because I thought this was a bit more fitting in regards to where I want to take this.)

       Two members of the trio had memories of previous lives; two members of the trio had souls connected to powerful forces, destined to be reborn time and time again and fulfill their destined roles. Two of them were haunted by vague feelings and flashes of images from past lives whenever they closed their eyes for the night. Two of them knew their roles throughout time. (The third member of the trio knew her role, of course, but hers was a matter of birth and inheritance, not that of a bound soul.)

       One of them was torn away from that role in this life and didn’t quite know why.

_        The birth of a Gerudo Voe was news that spread far and wide; it was an uncommon occurrence, and one that had been met with tragedy before. This time was different; the boy grew up normally, no sign of the darkness that had consumed him in lives before. _

_        His name was Ganondorf, and he was a bright young Voe. He was respected among the Gerudo, having a position along the lines of an advisor or emissary for their chief. He worked alongside the Shiekah with their development of the defensive technology and giant machines. They started as preventative measures. They were symbols of peace and prosperity. There were no threats to the Kingdom of Hyrule, but these machines were built just in case. _

_        He wasn’t chosen as a Champion when signs and omens began to look grim. He was a fierce warrior, and he was chosen to stand by the Princess alongside her appointed knight--the Chosen boy himself. _

_        When they first met, there was an unusual tension in the air that the Princess wasn’t privy to. It wasn’t a conscious thought on Link’s or Ganondorf’s part, but latent memories passed down through reincarnated souls made each one wary of the other for reasons they couldn’t quite place. They had fought countless times in eras long forgotten. They had brawled and fought and perished at one another’s hand, and neither one could remember it beyond a vague sense of trepidation. _

_        Link’s hand had raised slightly as if to reach for the sword carried across his back. Ganondorf had adjusted his grip ever so slightly on his favored konda sword. _

_        The tension faded just as quickly as it came, a fleeting moment that neither of them would bring up for at least a year. Ganondorf had to learn the Hylian sign language, which may have been a hindrance in discussing any sort of heavy topics. Zelda was the go-between for the two warriors while he learned, and the three would often sit together during the evenings to discuss tomorrow’s plans and to continue with Ganondorf’s lessons. _

       That first meeting was about two years ago, and now the trio were sharing a room in an inn. They didn’t have to, neither logistically nor financially, but they had grown close over the years and the more dangerous things grew, the more they wanted to be near one another. Zelda was sitting beside Link on one of the beds, carefully bandaging a wound on his arm. “How are you going to help me with archery tomorrow when you’ve let yourself get hurt?” she reprimanded him, her tone more concerned than angry.

       He signed a simple apology, examining the bandage once she finished wrapping it around his arm. “Thank you.”

       She nodded, gently pushing his shoulder. “Now lie down and go to sleep. You need it. And you deserve it.”

       “Fine,” he signed with an amused smile before lying down and making himself comfortable on the bed. It didn’t take him long to fall asleep, as fatigued and injured as he was.

       Once his breathing was even, Zelda gently brushed some of his hair from his face and looked over at Ganondorf. “You managed to get out unscathed, I see. You’re lucky.”

       He shook his head. “I wouldn’t call it luck, Princess,” he admitted before nodding to Link. “He fights with the force of one hundred men; I didn’t have the opportunity to be hurt. It’s easy to see the soul of the Hero within him.”

       “He is powerful,” she agreed. “I’m grateful he’s on our side. I’m grateful  _ you’re _ on our side.”

       He nodded his agreement, practically throwing his large figure across the bed he was sitting on. “It’s strange,” he began, his gaze locked on the ceiling. “I remember fighting against him, against your ancestors, in countless times, in countless lives. I remember dying. Many times. I don’t know what broke the cycle this time; I don’t know why I’m here.”

       "What if it’s all ending?” Her voice was quiet, her gaze locked on the back of her hand, where she knew the Triforce was contained merely due to her blood and ancestry. “You’ve already lost your role without knowing why. What if during the next cycle, the Hero doesn’t exist? What if the power of the Triforce doesn’t awaken further down the bloodline?”

       He wanted to tell her that she was thinking too hard about this, that she was being too dramatic, too grim; that this was a fluke, or maybe something that had a different explanation. He couldn’t. Instead all he could bring himself to say was, “It’s possible.” The truth was he didn’t  _ have _ an answer. It concerned him that he knew who he used to be but didn’t feel any desire to continue his part of the eternal cycle of violence. There was no malice within him. If anything, it was quite the opposite. He felt a desire to protect the Princess and, even though it wasn’t necessary, to protect the Hero. They were good kids—and that was really all they were. They were hardly adults and they were being forced into such a dangerous, unknowable situation.

       “Get some sleep, Princess. We have a big day tomorrow.”

       She sighed and stretched. “It’s a long trek to Zora’s Domain. We’ll be on the road a while tomorrow,” she mused in agreement. “Are you any good with archery? Link needs to heal and not strain himself.” She leaned down and kissed the hero’s cheek before making herself comfortable in bed beside him, looking over at Ganondorf questioningly.

       “Pft, of course I am,” he said, casting a glance over to the fire to make sure it was dying. “When we stop tomorrow I’ll help you, although you’re getting quite competent with a bow. Have you considered trying a sword?”

       She made a face, shaking her head. “I’d prefer remaining distant. I have better aim than arm strength. Besides, two of us are good at melee combat. Having someone to stand back and keep a more complete view of the field has to be good for something.”

       “Ever the strategist,” he said as he made himself comfortable in his own bed. “Sleep well, Princess.”

       “You too, Ganondorf.” The room was silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. “Make sure we wake up tomorrow; he likes to try to guilt me into sleeping in.” She laughed lightly, her expression concealed in the darkening room.

       “Ha! I won’t let that sleepyheaded boy throw our schedule off tomorrow. You have my word.”

       Plans for tomorrow organized, they all fell into a peaceful sleep for the remainder of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit might finally pop off in the next chapter, by the way. This isn't going to be a very long fic, with maybe only two or three more chapters to it.


End file.
